A question and answer session with Victims Services

Transcript

(Three Victims Services staff sitting at a round table.)

Alex, Assessor Client Claims: I am an Assessor Client Claims, and I work as part of the assessment team. I have a legal background. So I studied law at University.

Kristy, Client Service Advisor: I'm a Client Service Advisor in the Victims Services redress team. My role involves coordinating, counselling and psychological care for victims of crime.

(Victims Services staff speaking to a client in the office.)

Kristy: I've worked Victims Services for eight years now. Originally, when I started, I didn't have any real work experience.

(Victims Services staff speaking to a client on the phone.)

Igor, Senior Client Liaison Representative: I'm a Senior Client Liaison Representative, and I'm the first point of contact for all our clients.

(Victims Services staff speaking to a client on the phone.)

Igor: I've working in Victims Services for approximately 11 years now. Initially, I started off working for an agency and then from there, I was recruited by Victims Services.

(Igor speaking to a client on the phone.)

Kristy: The fact that we make a difference for a lot of people in our community is something that I find really rewarding and self-fulfilling. Even if it's just one person, I know that I'm helping them out in some aspect of their Life.

Igor: I really enjoy the job that I work in at the moment because I feel like I make a difference to the community.

Alex: It really is touching to know that the worth we do day to day is making, a dramatic change to these people.

(Victims Services staff opening the doors to the Victims Services Office.)

Igor: Victims Services we do provide our support for our victims of violent crime in New South Wales.

Alex: Victims Services also acts as a liaison, of part of the family and friends missing person unit.

(Victims Services staff discussing a missing person’s report file.)

Kristy: We also have an approved counselling scheme. So we provide counselling to victims of crime, to I guess, help them, make it easier for their recovery.

(Kristy and Igor walking in the office.)

Kristy: I work in a really great team of staff members who support my career development always try to assist me in upskilling myself in certain areas.

Igor: The good thing about Victims Services is that it does support its staff and those provide a lot of training to enable staff and empower staff to be able to do their work properly.

Kristy: I came into this role, expecting there to be a lot of you know, horror stories and tears. But what surprised me the most the victims that I work with have a lot of resilience and that's something that I didn't expect, really inspired me.

(Kristy, Igor and Alex discussing a report file.)

Alex: You deal with people who have been severely traumatised, who've been through a lot of terrible things in their life. And I guess having empathy kind of really helps.

Kristy: I've always had a passion for helping people. So, I thought that Victims Services would be a good human service agency to get into.